Krapp (Flambe)
Everybody's favorite brownie-cake-pile-thing, this is the (in)FAMOUS Krapp recipe originally developed by Emme "the Supreme" Bruns and Kim "the Magnificent" Ang for a charity high-school bake sale on behalf of Emme's foreign language club. This delicacy has been sampled by the Mayor of Albany, CA as well as several Deans of Student Life at MIT, and it has become a classic birthday cake favored among many of our friends and family. Words don't really do this part-food, part-sculpture justice. It's a work of art and crafted with love, deserving of a picture at the very least (forthcoming shortly).
Ingredients:
2 boxes Pillsbury or Duncan Hines extra-fudgy super chocolatey brownie mix (for a gourmet version, select Ghirardelli brand brownie mix)
Enough fresh eggs for a double recipe as indicated by instructions on the box
Enough oil for a double recipe as indicated by instructions on the box
Enough water for a double recipe as indicated by instructions on the box
1 cup butterscotch chips
Tools:
Mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Spatula
Baking pans (you will need at least 2 to streamline the procedure)
Aluminum foil
Brown paper bag
Ice cream scoop
Toilet paper
Bacardi 151 (if making Krapp Flambe)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Prepare double-batch of fudge-brownie batter in your mixing bowl according to directions on the box. Stir in 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips for a lovely variety of color. Prepare 6 sheets of aluminum foil into "boats" of slightly decreasing size by gently pinching the ends. Distribute the fudge-brownie batter amongst these "boats" and roll over the tops of the tinfoil to form "logs." Reserve about 3 tbsp of raw batter for "glue". You will want the largest of the logs to be about 2.5 to 3" in diameter at its fattest point. Bake these logs for approximately 15 to 20 minutes - until the consistency of the brownies is solid but not yet cakey and crumbly. The smaller logs are likely to bake through quicker than the larger logs; therefore, it is recommended that you check each set every 4 to 6 minutes. It is important that these brownie-logs are able to maintain their shape while at the same time remaining pliable for this next step.
Carefully unwrap the brownie logs from the foil and gently manhandle them one by one onto a large clean baking pan. This is the point where you will want to "sculpt" the logs into a tasteful coil, staring with the two biggest logs as the base, and coiling upwards until you reach the top. It is important that the logs maintain the distinctive Krapp shape. Sometimes using a butter knife or a spatula to carve away and accentuate the individual layers of coiling helps. Be sure to pinch the end of the loaf at the very top for an added realistic touch. Use the reserved brownie batter to fill in any gaps and cracks that may occur during sculpting. Finally, embed the remaining 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips into the Krapp in small clusters to give the illusion of "corn." Bake the sculpture for 10-15 more minutes, until the raw batter has been partially cooked through (or more, if you are not using fresh ingredients). Remove the Krapp from the oven and carefully slide large torn up pieces of brown paper bag underneath the edges to create the traditional "doily" effect. For best results, serve Krapp as it is still steaming fresh from the oven. Krapp is traditionally carved at the table into individual servings with an ice cream scoop and served on toilet paper with a glass of lemonade doled out with a turkey baster.
For that added flair, serve Krapp Flambe! In a heat-proof container, ignite 1 shot of Bacardi 151 and carefully pour over hot Krapp for a memorable treat sure to delight your guests and loved ones.
